A note to Toronto
The people have spoken.
We must still speak.
First and foremost, I would like to express my gratitude to all my supporters, friends, family, and the 395 heroic citizens who marked my name on the mayoral ballot. For that, I could not be more thankful.
Running for Mayor of Toronto, even with all its responsibilities, gifted me more than I thought I would receive. From organizing different events, tailoring tactics, creating content, celebrating diverse holidays, and integrating myself into areas where I had not been, this was an experience that could not be put into a simple curriculum.
I would also like to congratulate Mayor Olivia Chow on being elected once again. As champions of the Canadian Constitution, which defends us, we must strive to change, to progress; otherwise, our beautiful democracy would come to a halt. We also cannot allow ourselves to subconsciously divide into two factions, as that can hurt the progress that we could have made.
The people have spoken. But that does not mean the rest of us must fall silent. We must still speak and pressure our leader for change, whether that may be Chow or Bradford. Additionally, our sole commitment to our Mayor should not foster epistemic exclusivity, in which we diminish the ideas of the opposition.
Both Bradford and Chow ran campaigns based on the love and aspirations they hold for Torontonians. Not only should we strictly hold Chow accountable for the promises she made, but we shall also hold her accountable beyond those promises: for listening to her political opponents and cooperating with them regarding their ideals. Democracy is not one or the other; it enables the opportunity for the representative of 532,201 (54.2%) individuals to listen to the other 404,013 (41.1%) individuals who sail on the same boat.
Hence, celebrate. Celebrate the victory of one coalition, and celebrate the hand that reaches out to the other.
Campaign-closing message, shared on LinkedIn. The original thanks 395 citizens; the certified total shown above is 396 votes.